Maria's Car Wash
by That One Artsy Kid
Summary: Humans have an odd way of showing favoritism. I just can't figure out why they favor me.
1. Chapter 1

I've got some good PMs and couple good reviews for this story. I was bored one day and started to read the Black Crayons series. Great stories by the way. Look them up. Anyway, I decided to make a sequel for the story. This isn't as cute as the other one. Sorry! Hope you like. Review if you want me to continue with other one shots for Maria's Drawings!

Disclaimer: I do not own transformers!

My new alt form felt a little small. This is the third one I have occupied today. The black paint job made me shift a little. I don't know how Ironhide does it. This color attracts so much of this planet's heat waves. It doesn't help that this model, a Mack I think, is a little tight. I 'grit my teeth' as the saying goes and continue on the interstate.

My processor mulls over the possibilities for today. I can't contact my troops. Sideswipe and the newly arrived Sunstreaker are in the brig, and the rest of my men are with their charges that they had newly acquired or new friends. Even Ratchet was with Mikaela. They weren't exactly guardian and charge, but they had grown a liking for each other with both of them being into mechanics. I let smoke pour out of my smoke stacks and cycle my vents. I can't even return to the base after parole. Major Lennox and Epps had insisted that I get out of the base. They said I need to 'go out and stretch my gears'. All I need to do was sit in my office and read the data pads on my desk. It was amazing how many debriefs and reports you have to read and analyze after a Decepticon outbreak. They had refused to let me in after a certain time.

My wheels rock a little in my alt mode. I can't stand not being able to work when I know I should be. In my mental rants, I glance over to the body of water I was passing. Maybe my armor needs a little attention. My scanners show me results for any car washes in my radius. My scans come up empty. Dang country. I mentally gave myself a 'face palm' as Sam said they were called. Here I was complaining about not being able to find a suitable washing facility when there was work to do. I nearly swerved out of the road when I remembered I couldn't get into the base. I pulled into a 'truck stop' and lowered on my axels. This definitely isn't going as planned.

I angled my side view mirrors to get a good look at the other trucks in the stop. Over half of them had their paint job matching or similar to mine. My engine knocked a little. I don't understand why humans find me so interesting. I'm just me. I know I'm the face of the Autobots, but I'm always the one who has to make the hard decisions. As much as I am honored, no flattered that the Original Primes chose me to be a Prime, sometimes I wish that the responsibility would just go away.

I run another set of scans, widening the perimeter. One of the listings catches me attention. As much as I would enjoy a visit to her. I don't want to impose.

"_Enjoy life big guy, don't let this war make it rush by in one big blur._" Sam's last spoken words to me before he departed with Bumblebee. And Sam claims to not be the 'emotional type'. More smoke spirals out of stacks. I calculate how many times I have to do that to ruin this planet's atmosphere. 367,847,492. Not including the smoke or fumes I emit when in training and on the battlefield. Not that far off, the Autobots and the humans better begin working on the solution to the ozone dilemma. With a cycling of vents, I dial Maria's number.


	2. Chapter 2

It was amazing how excited the young femme was. She squealed and laughed when I asked if I could come for a wash. Mentally, I smiled warmly at her antics. Even if I don't understand why she was so excited, it was a pleasure speaking to her. She seems to have an optimistic outlook on life. I just hope I'm not imposing.

"Don't even think about it. I don't have anything to do today anyway. It was a pleasure last time." Her musical laughter filled the line. "It was nice talking to an alien robot, even if it was only for a little while." She laughed. I was taken aback. Maybe I 'missed the memo' about humans being able to read processors?

"Don't ask. My parents said that I have had the gift to read people. Not literally of course, but I think that you get the drift." Maria laughed again at my naïve reaction. My transformation sequence started when I stopped at another truck stop. With a flash of blue, I had scanned a Peterbilt Semi 379. With another flash, I scanned another truck that had my original decals. I transformed again, feeling my body shift and change to fit the scan's requirements. My axels lowered on my already lowered frame. That's much better. A sigh escaped me. Another human habit. I made my way to Maria's home again.

"I can't wait for you to come. I have a warm bucket of water waiting for you!" I could hear water sloshing over the line. Not wanting to take up more of her time I sped up a little and was in front of her house in no time.

"When are you going to be here?" Maria asked, I could just _h__ear_ the adrenaline rushing through her veins. I transformed as softly as I could and tapped on the garage door for her answer. The line went dead as the garage door opened up. Maria hurried out to greet me, bucket of water in tow.

"You made it! You guys travel fast!" She smiled at me before taking sight of my frame. "Optimus! What did you do?! Go off roading?" She squeaked and looked at me up and down. I could feel my heaters switching on.

"No, I was pre-occupied with my data pads." I frowned, thinking about the pile of data pads on my desk. I hope she would get this over with so I could return to my duties. Maria put her hands on her hips.

"Are you going to transform or what?" She asked. Her tone reminded me of Ratchet's when the Chevy twins got distracted. I chuckled and started my transformation sequence

"This better?" I asked, sinking lower onto my axels. The only answer I got was getting a warm bucket of water thrown on me. A moan of pleasure left me. Maria laughed at me before throwing another bucket of water on me. The water on my armor plating startled some of my sensors. I didn't even realize that I had been silent the entire time until Maria had to climb onto my hood to get my roof.

"Maria, may I ask you a question?" My voice must've startled her because she jumped a little, barely catching herself and keeping herself from falling. I apologized and asked if she needed my help. She refused.

"What were you saying Optimus?" She asked me. I had almost forgotten that I had asked her something in the first place.

"Why does your kind seem to like us so much?" I winced at the awkwardness of my words. Maria let out her musical laugh again. I didn't see the humor. "What?" I asked still not sure what was funny.

"Nothing Optimus. I couldn't help it. I'd never thought that I would hear that. I guess I never thought that you guys would think about it." She laughed as she swiped a soapy sponge across my armor. I leaned into the touch and let out another pleasurable sigh. Maria sat back down on her knees and set down the sponge. "I don't know. You guys are easy to look up to." Maria leaned back on her elbows. I frowned mentally.

"Why?" I understand why they would, just not exactly why everyone seemed in favor or _me._ Maria smiled.

"Why? Are you serious? You guys represent everything that is good. How could we not?" She laughed at me, not knowing of my suddenly depleted self-confidence. She continued to move her sponge over my body.

"But why?" I asked again. It's not that I doubt my soldiers, it's just me. Maybe the luxury of the long Decepticon silence was gnawing at me. I don't really know anymore.

"Why do you ask?" Maria's smooth circles faltered and slowed a bit before continuing on. I shifted uncomfortably; the mix of the tickling in my tank and the smooth reassuring motions of Maria's hands were so contrasting.

"No reason." I frowned at my Ironhide-like behavior. Everything was silent for a while, save my pleasurable groans.

"You deserve it Optimus, you sacrifice so much for humanity and your men." I could just hear the frown in Maria's voice. She let out a frustrated sigh.

"But so many lives were lost at my hands. I just don't understand why people still seem to admire me after all the things I have done." I let my feelings gush out. Why, I don't know. I haven't told anyone that. Maria stopped scrubbing at the mud that was caked onto my trailer.

"Optimus, would you turn on your fake human... thing?" Out of my rear view mirrors I could see her put her sponge into the murky bucket. Confused, I complied. My holoform flashed to life in front of her still frowning. My own frown crossed my face. Maria jumped a little at seeing me, but relaxed again. A sigh blew out of her mouth.

"Optimus, you can't change the past. You're one of the best leaders out there. You sacrifice yourself for others, you care more about other people's well being and you are always making the right decisions." Maria sighed, she leaned onto her elbows staring up into the sky, tracing the clouds with her eyes. I wanted to tell her all of my mistakes, tell her all the times I had failed, but she put a finger to my lips before I could say a word.

"Don't even think about it Optimus, I know that this may sound a little harsh, but you have to live and let live. Don't get so caught up in what us humans think about you." Maria smiled and elbowed me in the ribs a bit.

"Come on, I gotta show you something." She was grinning ear to ear as the saying goes. Humans have such odd phrases. How could you grin ear to ear? Maria slid off of my roof and onto my hood, nearly falling off in the process; I quickly deactivated my holoform and activated it by her side, preventing her fall. Maria thanked me before jumping off my hood. It's amazing how she managed to do that without hurting her ankle. Maria sprinted into her garage, skidding to halt in front of one of her work tables. She tucked something under her arm and ran just as fast as before back to me. It made me uncomfortable how fast she was going when she could easily slip on the newly wet asphalt. Maria smirked at me before handing me something. I smiled warmly when I saw it, it was her sketch book from my last visit.

"To keep your mind off of things." She winked and climbed back onto my alt. I shuddered at her comforting touch. Maria concentrated on her work and I opened her sketch book, smiling at the one of her newer renderings.


End file.
